KIRKTONHALL, WEST KILBRIDE
CONSERVATION AREA APPRAISAL
FEBRUARY 2013
WEST KILBRIDE
CONSERVATION AREA APPRAISAL
CONTENTS
1.0 Introduction
2.0 Planning Policy Context
3.0 Location and Setting
4.0 Historical Development
5.0 Character Appraisal
6.0 Character Assessment
7.0 Key Features and Challenges
8.0 Opportunities for Preservation and Enhancement
9.0 Future Management Priorities
10.0 Monitoring and Review
Appendix One - Location Plan
Appendix Two - 2006 Conservation Area Appraisal
Appendix Three - Historic Maps
Appendix Four - Conservation Area Appraisal Analysis
Appendix Five - Historic Scotland Listed Building Reports
Appendix Six - Photographic survey
Appendix Seven - Bibliography and Useful Information
February 2013
Peter Drummond, Architect Ltd. 36 Portland Road, Kilmarnock, KA1 2DL T: 01563 898288
130 Stanley Street, Glasgow, G41 1JH T: 0141 530 7955
WEST KILBRIDE
CONSERVATION AREA APPRAISAL
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Figure 1-1: West Kilbride the Cross pre- World War 1
1.1 All planning authorities are required by the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Area) (Scotland) Act 1997 to determine which parts of their area merits conservation area status. These are areas defined as being of "special architectural or historic interest, the character or appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance”.
1.2 The purpose of a conservation area appraisal is to define what is important about its character and appearance and to identify its important characteristics. It is an essential tool to enable the active management of the conservation area. It identifies the area's special features and changing needs through a process which includes researching its historical development, carrying out a detailed townscape analysis and preparing a character assessment.
1.3 The West Kilbride Conservation Area was designated on 10 April 2006 further to agreement of the North Ayrshire Council Planning Committee on 16 January 2006 and public consultation conducted in March 2006.
1.4 As part of the proposed conservation of Kirktonhall and an application for grant support under Historic Scotland’s Conservation Area Regeneration Scheme (CARS), TPS Planning and Peter Drummond Architects have been commission to carry out a review and update of the original 2006 character appraisal.
1.5 The purpose of this appraisal is to review, reappraise and update were necessary the Council’s Conservation Area Assessment of 2006 that led to the establishment of a conservation area within the heart of West Kilbride. It follows best practice as set out in Scottish Planning Advice Note (PAN) 17, Conservation Area Management. In doing so the appraisal will define and evaluate the character and appearance of the conservation area, identify what its key characteristics are and ensure that there is a full understanding of what is worthy of preservation. We will also review the conservation area boundaries as part of this process to make sure that they accurately reflect what the special interest of the area is and ensure that they are logically and succinctly drawn.
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Purpose of the Conservation Area Appraisal
1.6 Conservation Area designation is the first step towards the protection and enhancement of our villages, towns, and cities. Designation is not intended to prevent development or change, but rather to create a framework which balances the need to ensure vibrant, sustainable communities against those qualities which make our historic townscapes so valuable.
1.7 The purpose of an appraisal is to define and evaluate the character and appearance of the designated conservation area, identifying the important characteristics and setting out what is worth of conservation and enhancement. Special features are identified through a structured process which includes an analysis of historical department, a review of the townscape and key buildings, and thereafter preparation of a character assessment.
1.8 The study also provides an opportunity to review conservation area boundaries to ensure that they encompass the entire area of special interest. It should also identify threats to the conservation area, for example changing patterns of use or inappropriate modern alterations, and thereafter highlight opportunities for intervention.
Conservation Area Boundaries
1.9 The Conservation Area boundary extends eastward to the intersection of Law Brae and Cubrieshaw Street and to the south west along Ritchie Street until it reaches the intersection with Well Street, thereby including the whole of Main Street, the Cross, the Horseshoe, and parts of Happy Hills and Halfway Street. The Conservation area has been designated with an Article 4 Direction to ensure protection is in place for window/door replacements and boundary walls/fences/gates.
1.10 The boundary was determined further to a Conservation Area Assessment conducted by ARP Lorimer and Associates between October 2005 and February 2006, a copy of which is attached at Appendix Two.
Figure 1-2: Extant Conservation Area Boundaries (Ordnance Survey)
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2.0 PLANNING POLICY CONTEXT
2.1 Conservation areas were first introduced by the Civic Amenities Act 1967. The current national legislation is the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Area) (Scotland) Act 1997 which provides the framework for the designation of conservation areas. The pertinent sections of the Act are Section 61 which defines a Conservation Area as “an area of special architectural or historic interest, the character or appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance”; and Section 63 of the Act which states that “it should be the duty of the planning authority to formulate and publish, from time to time, proposals for the preservation and enhancement of any parts of their district which are Conservation Areas.”
2.2 Additional guidance is included in Scottish Government’s Planning Advice Note PAN71 - Conservation Area Management which complements national policy supplying further advice on the management of conservation areas.
2.3 The most recent local planning policies are covered by North Ayrshire Council’s emerging Modified Local Development Plan (issued September 2012) Policy HE1 Conservation areas covers development within and adjacent to conservation areas and also covers demolition within conservation areas and provides day to day guidance. This policy notes that
2.4 “Proposals for development which would adversely affect the visual amenity or historical/architectural character of a conservation area, including its setting, buildings, open space or trees, shall not accord with the LDP”.
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3.0 LOCATION AND SETTING
Figure 3-1: Aerial Photograph of West Kilbride
3.1 West Kilbride is a substantial village located just inshore from the Firth of Clyde in North Ayrshire. The origins of the village date back to circa 500AD but its current size and importance is largely due to the arrival of the railway in 1878, and interwar suburban development both of which led to substantial increase in the size of the village. Together with the adjoining settlements of Seamill and Portencross it has a population of 4393 as measured at the 2001 census.
Reasons for the Location
3.2 The development of the settlement was originally related to religious purposes with St Bride landing at Seamill in around AD500 to establish her church. The settlement also appears related to the establishment of nearby castles including Crosbie Castle which dates from the 13th century, Portencross Castle which dates from the 14th century and Law Castle which was built in 1468 as the home for King James III sister Mary. By the 18th century West Kilbride was largely a weaving village with weaver’s cottages lining the principal street which connected these to the mill on the Kilbride Burn. Possible evidence of this early western extension of the post medieval settlement is present on Roy’s Map of 1747-55.
Topography
3.3 The village’s topography is unusual in that Main Street straddles two hills starting in the west at a plateau atop on hill and then descending into the valley between the two (at the base of which sits Kirktonhall) before ascending the second hill before descending into the second depression and coming to an end at the former mill at the Kilbride Burn crossing. The village is overlooked by Cauldron Hill and sits between Law Hill and Tarbert Hill.
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4.0 HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT
Figure 4-1: Early West Kilbride - Roy Military Survey of Scotland 1747 – 1755 (NLS)
4.1 To assist our understanding desk research was undertaken as part of this report. The principle material identified was map data from the National Library of Scotland Map Collection, a review of the Stenlake photographic collection, limited photographic and archive information held at the West Kilbride Museum (North Ayrshire Council’s local archives) and limited photographic material was held by RCAHMS.
Early History
4.2 West Kilbride’s origins are modest but religious. The name Kilbride is derived from the Celtic Saint Brigid of Kildare, otherwise known as St Bride. Reputedly St Bride landed at Seamill in around AD500 to establish her church – ‘Kil’ is the Gaelic name for chapel or churchyard. The West prefix is of later date - intended to differentiate the village from other settlements with similar names.
Medieval History
4.3 The village’s medieval history connects it with significant Scottish figures such as William Wallace whose uncle Sir Ranald Crauford , in the 13th century built Corsbie Castle on his estate to the north of the village. Robert the Bruce granted the Barony of Kilbride to the Boyds of Kilmarnock as a reward for the loyalty of Robert Boyd who fought at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314.
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Figure 4-2: West Kilbride - Ordinance Survey 1860 (NLS)
4.4 The earliest surviving building in the village is Law Castle which dates from 1468.The castle was constructed by Robert Boyd as a wedding gift for Princess Mary, the eldest daughter of James II of Scotland upon her marriage to his son Thomas Boyd, the Earl of Arran, in 1467. The castle is a simple rectangle on plan with walls 1.8m thick, rising to four storeys with a turnpike stair connecting the levels. It commands the hillside overlooking the Kilbride Burn. It was brought back into occupation in the 1990s under the guidance of architect Ian Begg.
4.5 The second oldest building in the village is Kirktonhall an unusual townhouse of 1660 - with 18th, 19th and early 20th century alterations. It was the birthplace and home of the mathematician Robert Simson. The building was converted into a council chamber in 1924 but is currently vacant. The building’s 17th Century origins are partially obscured by 20th century cement harl. The comparatively plain elevation to Main Street belies a more whimsical garden elevation with Gothic Venetian windows and battlemented entrance porch. Sited within the garden is the ‘A’ listed obelisk style sundial created by Robert Simson. The 156 acre gardens and estate lands of the townhouse (which followed the Kilbride Burn down to the Firth of Clyde) were gifted to the village in 1924 and now form the Glen public park
18th Century
4.6 By the 18th century West Kilbride was primarily a weaving village and was home to various mills. Residents were employed in weaving and hand sewing for the manufacturers of Glasgow and Paisley. Evidence of the weavers cottages remains in the straightforward vernacular structures lining parts of Ritchie Street and Halfway Street.
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Figure 4-3: West Kilbride - Ordinance Survey 1896 (NLS) 19th Century
4.7 By the 1830s the entry for West Kilbride and Neighbourhood in the Ayrshire directory 1837 By Pigot & Co describes an industrious, rapidly developing and well connected village were:
The principal employment of the inhabitants is weaving, in which about one hundred and forty looms are engaged; there is also a manufactory for charcoal, and a mill for grinding the article. In population and extent the village has materially increased within the recollection of many persons; in the former respect it has augmented more than two-fold in the progress of the last thirty years.
The places of worship are the parish church, and a small chapel in connection with the united associate synod. The parochial school, a most useful institution, affords education upon very moderate terms to those who are enabled to pay, and gratuitously to such as are not blessed with the means of doing so; there is likewise a parochial library. Post Office, William Hunter, Post master - Letters from Saltcoats, Glasgow &c arrive every forenoon at eleven, and are despatched every afternoon at two - Letters from Largs, &c arrive every afternoon at one, and are despatched every afternoon at twenty minutes before two.
4.8 By the 1880s the Ordinance Gazetteer of Scotland: A Survey of Scottish Topography, Statistical, Biographical and Historical, is reporting that the number of mills in village are declining. Nevertheless West Kilbride is still prosperous with facilities including a post office with savings bank and telegraph department, a Commercial Bank of Scotland (now part of the Royal Bank of Scotland), a gas works, 3 public houses or coaching inns, a cemetery with prominent monument to Robert Simson, the newly built St Andrews Church and Overtoun Church by the Edinburgh Architect Hippolyte Blanc. The population has increased from 1083 people in 1861 to 1363 in 1881 –it has grown by a quarter in 20 years. Most importantly the Gazetteer reflects the arrival of the railway noting that the village has a station on the Fairlie branch of the Glasgow and South-Western railway – doubtless one of the reasons for the increased population and prosperity.
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Figure 4-4: West Kilbride - Ordinance Survey 1910 (NLS)
4.9 West Kilbride Railway station opened on 1 May 1878 by the Glasgow and South Western Railway. The railway line was an extension of the former Ardrossan Railway to Largs. It now forms part of the Ayrshire Coast Line. 4.10 The present ‘B’ listed station building is by the noted Edwardian architect James Millar. Dating from 1901 Millar adopted an arts and crafts idiom for the building. Since the station was de-manned the station building has housed shops and most recently a restaurant – ChuChus. The property has recently been sold at auction.
4.11 The new railway line cut through the land to the east of the village and its arrival led to new development. In the decades afterward the arrival of the railway the traditional ribbon like pattern of development is continued - but at lower densities. The pronounced spine of Main Street has been gradually teased out into new streets lined with semi detached villas giving onto still larger detached villas in expansive feus extending along Ritchie Street and the newly opened up Bowfield Road.
20th Century to present
4.12 By 1910 the suburbanisation brought about by the arrival of the railway is even more pronounced with new terraced houses lining Corse Road and larger semi detached and detached villas springing up on Overton Drive and Yerton Brae. Well Street is now a double sided street of housing. The street formerly known as the Strype has been widened and renamed Hunterston Street. An entirely new street – Orchard Street has been developed for housing to the south of Ritchie Street. This has also permitted access to Weston Terrace which is lined on its western side by Edwardian semi detached a flatted houses.
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Figure 4-5: West Kilbride - Ordinance Survey 1938 (NLS)
4.13 Throughout the 1920s and 30s the suburbanisation of West Kilbride continued with both speculative and council housing developments side by side. The eastern side of Hunterston Street was developed with widely spaced apart four in a block council housing while the northern side of Portincross Road became lined with interwar speculative bungalows as did Meadowfoot Road to the east. Alton Street was extended across Orchard Street supplying access to further interwar housing and a new bowling club. The gifting of the Kirktonhall estate has allowed Orchard Street to be extended to the east and linked back through the former gardens to Main Street at the side of Kirktonhall. This has also allowed the southern stretch of the Headrigg to be widened with the surrounding land opened up for interwar speculative bungalow development.
4.14 This pattern of suburban development continued apace after the Second World War particularly in the decades between the 1970s and the recent economic downturn. It has been characterised by pockets of infill and cul-de-sac development at Manse Road, Castle View, Heritage Park, Ailsa View and Hauplands Way. This growth is quite alien to the original character and pattern of development that characterised the earlier growth of West Kilbride.
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5.0 CHARACTER APPRAISAL
Figure 5-1: West Kilbride Conservation area – Built Fabric
Historic Pattern of Streets and Plots.
5.1 The historic pattern of development in the village remains an extension, and densification of, the traditional pattern of urban development in Scotland namely a ‘fishbone’ format of a single spine route with feus, riggs and vennels extending away from the Main Street spine. Both Main Street and ‘The Strype’ later Hunterston Road collectively form the Cross at the heart of the village – even though there is a much more pronounced intersection of roads about 300m to the east.
5.2 As Main Street gradually extended towards the west and Paton’s Brae the steepness of the topography led to the street splitting into both Ritchie Street and Halfway Street. However, the fishbone pattern of riggs and vennels continued with a strong sense of enclosure to the principal streets of the village brought about as a result of contiguous development of weaver’s cottages.
5.3 It is not until the decades directly after the arrival of the railway in the 1878 that the western end of the village begins to be split into a pattern of streets that begins to resemble a grid. This is particularly pronounced with the opening up of Arthur Street, Alton Street, Well Street and Orchard Street which eventually connects back to Main Street. However with the regularised width of the streets comes the fragmentation of the urban form. In place of the emphatic spatial of enclosure of Main Street comes the separation of first semi detached and later detached villas sitting in their own grounds. The street section also begins to broaden out with the tight street section at Main Street where the buildings are hard to the back of the pavement gradually opening out with small 4m wide front gardens in western section of Ritchie Street growing to 12- 14m front gardens around the corner in Bowfield Road.
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Figure 5-2: West Kilbride Conservation area – Green Corridors: The Glen Park
5.4 Nevertheless by the latter half of the 20th century the potential for extending the grid has been abandoned in favour of infill development in the form of cul-de-sacs. These developments lack either the interconnectedness or cohesiveness of the traditional fishbone pattern or the grid. They instead take the form of long ribbons of houses terminating in cul-de-sacs. By adopting a variety of setbacks they lack the strong sense of enclosure that characterises a traditional Scottish street.
Open Space
5.5 The original pattern of development in the village did not concern itself with open space rather the built spine of the village was a strongly enclosed urban space – a deliberate contrast to the open landscape of the surrounding countryside. That is not to say that the villagers were not interested open space but what was available within the village was private.
5.6 The principle open space in the village would have been the gardens and estate of the Kirktonhall but these were only available for the use and pleasure of the two families that owned Kirktonhall and their visitors. It was not until the gifting of the 156 acre estate to the village in 1924 that the estate lands became available to the public as open space.
5.7 The opening up of the estate grounds as the Glen public park also involved the extension of Orchard Street into the estate grounds before being diverted north up to Main Street. This link is now known as Glen Road. However the connection of Main Street to Orchard Street also involved the demolition of the small Episcopalian chapel wing to Kirktonhall. For approximately 120 years the chapel had assisted in helping define the intersection of Main Street and what was once Paton’s Brae – the former name for the section of street connecting Main Street to Ritchie Street and Halfway Street. The orientation and projection of the chapel into the spine route through the village helped terminate Paton’s Brae and define the gateway into Main Street. The removal of the chapel and the formation of Glen Road have undermined the sense of spatial enclosure that previously characterised this section of Main Street.
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Figure 5-3: West Kilbride Conservation area – Gap sites
5.8 The second major open space would have been the orchard associated with the manse but by the 1890s this has disappeared – it has been developed into both the building containing the local branch of the Royal Bank of Scotland branch and house. What remained of the gardens was later infilled by early 70s speculative housing along Manse Road that is out of character with the adjacent buildings in the conservation area and so has been excluded from the designation.
5.9 From map analysis there has also been a gap site, now an attractive and well tended pocket park, at the feu located to the north of the intersection of Happy Hills and the Horseshoe since at least 1855 though there has at various points been buildings defining either side of the vennel leading to Happy Hills. This gap site is in contrast to what was an otherwise strongly defined intersection between Halfway Street and Ritchie Street at the Horseshoe.
5.10 The Horseshoe appears to have derived its name from the building that occupied the gushet site which, on plan, had a horseshoe shaped footprint with a sweeping bow turning the corner. However, at some point in the second half of the 20th century this building appears to have been demolished and the gushet site cleared. As a consequence the strong sense of spatial enclosure at the intersection between Main Street, Halfway Street, Ritchie Street and Happy Hills has been eroded. That the Happy Hills feu remains unoccupied does not assist matters.
5.11 The gushet site is now occupied by a lawn and soft landscaping so reads as an extension to the pocket park at Happy Hills. There is an echo of the demolished bow in the bold two storey high fully glazed bow window of the West Kilbride Library of 1995 – 96 by Cunninghame District Council but this is approximately 25m back from the intersection of Halfway Street and Ritchie Street so does not help recover the former sense of enclosure.
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Figure 5-4: West Kilbride Conservation area – Spatial Enclosure
5.12 A further pocket park now occupies a gap site at 113 -115 Main Street. This has been developed as a memorial garden to Lord Boyd Orr who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1949 and had lived in the village from age 5 onwards after his family moved there from Kilmaurs in 1885. The pocket park is located on the site of a former two and a half storey late Victorian tenement. Lord Boyd Orr’s father owned a paint shop in the building directly to the west of the gap site. The pocket park is attractive and well tended with a prominent memorial plaque and sheltered garden seat.
5.13 Diagonally opposite this to the west is another gap site at 120 Main Street. Unlike the other gaps sites that one has been left derelict and overgrown with buddleia. It is not accessible to the public being screened by a wooden fence fronted by shallow flower bed containing small conifers.
5.14 Directly opposite the Barony Centre at 57 Main Street is a further gap site that has come about through demolition. The site remains in a state of dereliction and has not benefitted from landscaping.
5.15 Further to the east along Main Street two larger gaps sites have been formed through demolition. The first is the car park that has been formed at the top of the open space adjoining the Kilbride Burn and opposite the intersection of Gateside Street and Main Street. From map analysis this was once an area of tight knit built fabric with structures defining the lane that gave access to Coldstream Farm but by the 1940s this area has been subject to demolition and clearance with buildings being removed at all sides of the intersection. The connection to the lane remains but the sense of enclosure to the east of the lane has disappeared. In the latter half of the 20th century the remaining buildings between the lane and the three storey tenement containing the Kings Arms Free House to the west have been demolished. The area has subsequently become a car park.
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Figure 5-5: West Kilbride Conservation area – Loss of spatial enclosure
5.16 The second area of open space has been formed via the demolition of the Corn Mill located to the west of the Kilbride Bridge in the area known as ‘Brig-end’. Again the process of demolition and clearance is evident from the ordinance survey map of 1938. This coincides with the reported destruction of the Bridgend Grain Mill by fire in 1932. The area is now open space and forms part of the Glen Park.
5.17 Viewed together these two larger gaps sites, in conjunction with the selective removal of a series of small buildings to the west of St Andrews Church, have led to the significant erosion of the spatial enclosure of the east end of Main Street.
5.18 The gradual erosion of the sense of enclosure through demolition and creation of small gap sites is the greatest threat to the integrity of the spatial enclosure to Main Street and by extension to the integrity of the special characteristics of the conservation area.
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Figure 5-6: West Kilbride Conservation area – View corridors
5.19 Views and Landmarks
5.20 The key view from the west end of the village centre at the junction of Main Street and Yerton Brae is towards the Horseshoe and the intersection with Main Street. This is a view characterised by the bay windows of the late Victorian semi detached houses. The houses display a strong building line that is softened by their small front gardens. The church tower of the ‘B’ listed Overtoun Church by the Edinburgh Architect Hippolyte Blanc steps forward from the street wall becoming the key event and landmark in the view while Law Hill can be glimpsed in the distance.
5.21 At the junction of Halfway Street and the Horseshoe there is a key view over the roof tops of Main Street towards Law Hill. This view reveals the undulating nature of the village’s topography.
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Figure 5-7: West Kilbride Conservation area – View from the Horseshoe looking east
5.22 The best view of the village centre is from the Horseshoe looking towards the east. This view allows you to appreciate the special characteristics of the conservation area as it reveals the strong sense of the spatial enclosure to Main Street but also the picturesque qualities of the townscape and how the spires of the Barony Centre and St Andrews Church form key incidents and easily identifiable landmarks that punctuate the street.
5.23 Form the lowest part of Main Street, where it intersects with Glen Road, there is an attractive view towards the south and across the Glen public park towards the bluff and crags and raised beach that overlooks Chapelton Road and the lands that gently shoal away from the Firth of Clyde.
5.24 The key view from the east end of Main Street is towards Law Hill which lies towards the east of the village. Law Hill forms the focus of views to the east from Main Street at the point where the spatial enclosure of the street opens up at its intersection with Gateside Street. There are also secondary views to the south from the Kilbride Bridge section of Main Street looking down the Kilbride Burn towards the Glen public park
5.25 Looking back into the village and along Main Street to the west the key view is down into the valley between the two hills that Main Street stretches between. The view is now terminated by the blank gable of 1 Ritchie Street but would previously have been terminated by the bow fronted building that occupied the Horseshoe.
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Figure 5-8: West Kilbride Conservation area – View to Tor Hill from St Andrews Church
Activity and Movement
5.26 Main Street (also B781) forms the main east west route for local traffic across the village. The main traffic flows are to be found on Snowdon Terrace and Ardrossan Road which form the local sections of the Ayrshire costal route or A78. This acts as an effective bypass for the village centre but not for the village as a whole as it lined with housing while passing through Seamill. Main Street is connected back to the A78 via Yerton Brae though there is a secondary route via the B7047 which passes along Meadowfoot Road and Chapleton Road before connecting back to the A78.
5.27 There is a bus route along Main Street with bus stops at the Village Hall, at Main Street both to the east and west ends of the Cross; a further two stops at Gateside Street and a bus stop on St Brides Road. The Railway Station is located just beyond the east end of Main Street off Cubrieshaw Street. The drop off at the station is combined with a taxi stop. There is a significant amount of pedestrian traffic to and from the station when trains arrive and depart. Pedestrian traffic is particularly pronounced in the mornings and evenings when commuters either leave or return to the village by train.
5.28 Main Street has intermittent flows of traffic throughout the day the majority of which appears to be local. Goods vehicle serving local businesses frequently block the road but there is sufficient clearance for this not to be too much of an impediment to traffic flows.
5.29 Both the car parks at Glen Road and at the eastern end of Main Street are well frequented. Both appear to be used by local people for shopping or for dog walking given the access they provide to the Glen public park.
5.30 Main Street appears reasonably frequented for shopping purposes though these appear to be locally generated trips to go to the bank, get a coffee, the papers, dog walking and visits to the Doctor, Vet etc. The craft shops and the new extension to the Barony Centre also add to the street’s appeal. The majority of traffic along the street is pedestrian. Activity levels peak at lunch time with people going to cafes, shops to buy lunch.
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Figure 5-9: West Kilbride Conservation area – View along Main Street towards the Cross
Architectural Character
5.31 Architectural styles vary according to age and location within the Conservation area. West Kilbride’s Main, Ritchie and Halfway Streets are characterised by a mix of buildings ranging from single storey former weavers’ cottages to a much altered late 17th century townhouse to late Victorian tenements, semi detached villas and churches dating from the rapid expansion to the village that occurred after the arrival of the railway in 1878.
5.32 Kirktonhall at the heart of the Conservation area is easily the oldest building on Main Street predating weaving cottages by at least a century; however, its current appearance belies its great age. The building’s appearance and character have been much altered over the centuries with the building being rebuilt or remodelled in 1702, 1791, 1807, 1867, and 1924. The result of this is it is a very different building from its original incarnation and one that bears little comparison with the later vernacular weaver’s cottages. In contrast Kirktonhall has a strong Scottish Baronial quality to it with an emphatic crenallated battlement surmounting the elevation that addresses Main Street. In addition the building unusually turns its back on Main Street with the main entrance - defined by an entrance porch with crenallated battlement and Venetian window raised on Tuscan columns – located on the garden elevation overlooking the Glen public park.
5.33 The remaining weaver’s cottages are clustered around the eastern end of Ritchie Street though there are examples left on Halfway Street, those at the junction with Happy Hills have been much alerted to accommodate shops, and there are two remaining restored one and a half storey weavers cottages with dormers at 19 and 21 Main Street – the eastern end of the conservation area. In general these cottages are characterised by symmetrical placed simple vertical oriented windows located either side of a centrally placed door. Whilst they are contiguous the cottages have gable-headed chimneys many of which still have thatch stones so though their roofs are now slated these cottages may once have had thatched roofs.
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Figure 5-10: West Kilbride Conservation area – Ages of Built Fabric
5.34 Scattered through the rest of Main Street are two storey and attic mid Victorian buildings which usually comprise a ground floor shop with domestic floor space above. The exceptions to this are clustered around the Cross. There is an early 19th century 3 storey and attic coaching inn, which benefits from a later 19th century extension to rear, on a prominent corner site to Main Street and Hunterston Road. The building is harled and painted and while the ground floor has recently been overhauled with the opening of a new pub the render used for the repairs is not traditional and nor of a conservation specification one would expect for a C(S) listed building. Elsewhere there are three storey blonde sandstone Victorian tenements at 44, 79 and 80 Main Street all of which have shops and active frontage lining their ground floors. All adopt a more self confident Victorian aesthetic with either bay windows at 44 and 80 Main Street or Scottish Baronial detailing at 79 Main Street. The Royal Bank of Scotland at the south west corner of the Cross adopts a Gothick style.
5.35 The West Kilbride Craft Town initiative has led to a significant improvements in the design of local shopfronts and restoration of traditional detail. Nevertheless several of the village’s shopfronts have been stripped of their traditional detailing and alterations including insensitively sited roller shutters and other fixtures and fittings have been largely unsympathetic to the character of the conservation area.
5.36 The western end of Ritchie Street is characterised by late Victorian detached and semi detached villas. The semi detached villas aligning the southern side of the street are clearly part of the same development and likely authored by a common hand. They share details and motifs including bargeboards, fretwork, and have a mix of blonde and red smooth faced ashlar with ballochmyle stone used for trims, door cases and quoins. The detached and semi detached villas on the north side of the street are less flamboyant than those to the south. Though more conservative in design each one has a separate character. The majority are blonde sandstone with the exception of a blonde and red smooth faced ashlar semi detached villa at 53-55 Ritchie Street. The semi detached villa at 69-71 Ritchie Street is unusual in being executed in a rock faced ashlar but otherwise all the south facing buildings are characterised by dressed ashlar with prominent quoins.
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Figure 5-11: West Kilbride Conservation area – Listed Buildings
5.37 The three late Victorian churches St. Andrews Church, the Barony Church and the Overtoun Church are key landmarks along the sequence of Main Street and Ritchie Street. The churches punctuate the street scene and act as urban markers. However in contrast with the Barony and St Andrews Churches, both of which are set back from the street the tower of Overtoun Church is set forward of the building line for the adjacent semi detached villas so projects into the spatial enclosure of the street helping frame and define the transition between the contiguous buildings that comprise the eastern section of Ritchie Street and Main Street and the more spacious setting of the semi detached villas at the western end of the street. Architecturally Overtoun Church is the best of the three churches.
5.38 The final building worth comment is the West Kilbride Institute or Village Hall of 1905 which was design by the Helensburgh based architect AN Paterson - one of the few Scottish Ecole des Beuxs Arts trained architects. The Village Hall is located at the north east corner of Ritchie Street and Arthur Street and is relatively modest in scale. It is elevated in a blonde rock faced random ashlar and has a slated roof with attractive oriel dormer addressing Ritchie Street. The building has delicately carved features such as the Edwardian Baroque door case and the architrave and emphatic key stone over the Venetian window to the main hall. Otherwise the simplicity and starkness of the detail, and the simple treatment of the volume and massing of the building is clearly demonstrative of the Glasgow style.
Public Realm
5.39 Historic photographs of the village and Main Street indicate that the street surface was bound aggregate Macadam road surface with a gentle rise from edges to the centre. The road surface drains into gutters either side of the carriageway. The gutters are lined with a triple row of granite setts. There is then a granite kerb stone that defines the edge of an approximately 3 foot wide pavement which in early photographs appears to also be bound aggregate but by the early 20th century appears to getting replace by Portland concrete cement pavements. In the present day both carriageway and pavement surfaces have been altered to tarmac.
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Figure 5-12: West Kilbride Conservation area – Gateways and Nodes
5.40 There is no evidence of street furniture or street lighting in photographs as late as the 1920s though there is evidence from photographs taken in both the first years of the 20th century and the 1920s that shopkeepers and the local library did have fittings hung from their buildings to light both their shopfronts and the street in front of their shops The first evidence of the appearance of street lighting is in post Second World War photographs of Ritchie Street where concrete lamp standards with electric street lights are evident. Many of these concrete lamp standards are still evident in the present day but some have been replaced by galvanised steel lamp standards.
5.41 More recent proliferation of street furniture includes bus stops including shelters at the Village Hall and at the Cross, painted galvanised steel rubbish bins, painted galvanised steel flower beds that have been mounted on the pavement at the Village Hall and at the Cross, and armatures for hanging flower baskets most of which are appended to lampposts but many have also been bolted to shop frontages and buildings including Kirktonhall. Finally the most significant change in the visual amenity of Main Street, Ritchie Street and Halfway Street is the inclusion of traffic management signage both on pavement mounted poles and visually prominent markings on the street surface. Signage is particularly visually intrusive at ‘Brig-end’ at the junction of Main Street and Gateside Street were the no entry signage is very prominent.
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Figure 5-13: West Kilbride Institute Edwardian Baroque Doorcase
Townscape Detail
5.42 Windows –where buildings have retained their original sash and case windows and the townscape of the village benefits from this. However, many of the windows have been replaced by UPVC windows some of which do not respect the original glazing proportions or methods of opening. This has eroded the character of the conservation area.
5.43 Doors – Many of the traditional Victorian panelled doors survive at the western end of the village particularly on Ritchie Street. Several of the doors to the weaver’s cottages have been replaced with modern UPVC doors but several of the timber tongued and grooved doors remain. On the central stretch of Main Street; however, many doors to closes of tenements are replacement doors that do not respect traditional proportions or details. 5.44 Rainwater Goods –Many examples of the original cast iron rainwater goods remain throughout the conservation area.
5.45 Slate Roofs – A high proportion of the buildings retain their traditional slate roofs. There is evidence of thatch stones on several of the weaver’s cottages so it is likely that their slate roofs are replacements for earlier thatched roofs. The Barony Church has recently been re-slated in Spanish slate as part of the conversion to the Barony Centre. The visual difference between the Spanish and Scottish slates is pronounced with the former being darker and more visually consistent. The 1970’s estate at Manse Road has concrete tile roofs with a mix of red and dark grey tiles.
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Figure 5-14: West Kilbride – Ritchie Street, late Victorian villa dormer with decorative barge board
5.46 Decorative Bargeboards – these only occur in the semi detached villas at the western end of Ritchie Street but are a key visual element of this end of the street and add character to the Village.
5.47 Decorative Cast Iron – Examples of late Victorian and early Edwardian decorative railings survive along Main Street and Ritchie Street with very good quality examples still surviving on the boundary walls subdividing the Late Victorian semi detached and detached villas in Ritchie Street, and at the gates to Overtoun Church. There is also an unusual surviving cast iron balcony cantilevered from the first floor of Thistle House at 44 -46 Ritchie Street. Existing Scottish baronial railings also survive at a boundary wall at Kirktonhall. From photographic evidence these appear to date from the 1924 conversion of the building into a Council Chambers. There is an example of simple Georgian railings at the boundary wall to Manse Road. These presumably relate to the former manse that previously occupied the site prior to the erection of the 1970s housing estate. The original late Victorian Railings and gates have also been retained at the Barony Church and St Andrews Church.
5.48 Boundary walls and Gatepiers – the majority of properties on Main Street, Ritchie Street and Halfway Street sit at the back of the pavement so do not require boundary walls or gatepiers. The exceptions are the three churches all of which have retained their boundary walls and prominent gate piers, and the late Victorian semi detached and detached villas at the western end of Ritchie Street which have boundary walls but no gatepiers.
5.49 Dormers - these are a characteristic of the conservation area particularly at the western end of Ritchie Street where they occur on late Victorian and Edwardian properties. However prominent dormers also occur on Kirktonhall and on the central section of Main Street.
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Figure 5-15: West Kilbride – Ritchie Street, late Victorian villa dormer with decorative cast iron
Building Materials
5.50 Stone - The predominant building material in the conservation area is stone. The majority of blonde sandstone appears to have been sourced from local quarries such as the Corse Hill Quarry. Examples of the use of Ballochmyle stone are of a later date. These include St Andrews Church and Overtoun Church as well as the semi detached villas at the west end of Ritchie Street. In the case of the villas this imported stone has been reserved for key features such as quoins, architraves and doorframes.
5.51 Older buildings including Kirktonhall, the weaver’s cottages and the early 19th century coaching inn at the corner of Main Street and Hunterston Street are composed of local stone that has been harled and limewashed. In the case of Kirktonhall the current render is a 20th century cement render which is causing problems by trapping moisture internally and not allowing the building to breath. The dressed stone window and door margins are typically painted.
5.52 Several of the stone buildings have now been painted the most prominent of which is the Royal Bank of Scotland building at 74 Main Street.
5.53 Slate – While there is evidence that the weaver’s cottages were once roofed in thatch they are now like the majority of buildings with the conservation area roofed in Ballachulish slate. The current exception to this is the Barony church which has recently been re-roofed in Spanish slate.
5.54 Cast Iron – the conservation area benefits from having fragments of good cast iron from the late Victorian and Edwardian eras remaining in situ. These include the three churches and the late Victorian semi detached and detached villas in Ritchie Street.
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Figure 5-16: West Kilbride – Ritchie Street, late Victorian shopfront
Condition
5.55 In general there is an appearance of a high degree of occupancy in the three streets that comprise the conservation area. However, there are exceptions with a disused two storey and attic building at 126 -128 Main Street, and the ground floor has been rehabilitated the upper floors of the C(S) listed 19th century Inn at 73 Main Street remain in a derelict state of repair and open to the elements with missing windows.
5.56 The B listed Kirktonhall has been vacant since the council decanted their offices from it in 2007. It has been on Scotland’s Buildings at Risk register since July 2009. The property is now showing signs of neglect with outbreaks of dry and wet rot internally and ceiling collapses as a result of leaks through the roof.
5.57 In addition though the majority of the shop units are in now use – and much of this improvement is directly attributable to the activities of the community led West Kilbride Initiative and the development of the Craft Town status – the same cannot be said for upper storeys of shops which are used for storage.
5.58 There are gap sites at 57 Main Street, 113 – 115 Main Street and 120 Main Street. While 113 – 115 Main Street has been converted into a pocket park the site opposite at 120 Main Street is derelict and unkempt. 57 Main Street appears to be the result of recent demolition.
5.59 In general properties within the conservation area appear to be in a reasonable state of maintenance though roofs and gutters need attending to and many dormers are showing signs of neglect. The properties at 65 – 69 Main Street, 85 – 89 Main Street, 117-119 Main Street could do with painting.
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Figure 6-1: West Kilbride Conservation area – ‘B’ listed Kirktonhall
6.0 CHARACTER ASSESSMENT
Listed Buildings
6.1 These buildings have already had their significance assessed by Historic Scotland and have been ‘listed’ as a result of their special architectural or historic interest.
6.2 There are currently one A listed structure, three B listed buildings and two C(S) listed buildings in the West Kilbride Conservation area. These buildings enrich the conservation area and add to its special character. They are described as follows:
The Kirktonhall sundial is an obelisk type Renaissance sundial that was designed and erected by the mathematician Dr Robert Simson in 1717. It was A listed by Historic Scotland in April 1971. The sundial is sited in the gardens directly to the south of Kirktonhall. Though surrounded by high reproduction Victorian railings it has been vandalised.
Kirktonhall is easily the oldest building in the conservation area. The building’s appearance and character have been much altered over the centuries with the building being extended, rebuilt or remodelled in 1702, 1791, 1807, 1867, and 1924. It was B listed by Historic Scotland in April 1971.
St Andrews Church which was B listed by Historic Scotland in February 1980. The church is an example of French Gothic has a large rose window on the South gable, tall square tower with open belfry and broach spire.
Overtoun Church which was B listed by Historic Scotland in November 2009 The church is by Edinburgh Architect Hippolyte J Blanc and dates from 1883. It is a gabled, 6-bay, buttressed Gothic church with prominent square-plan tower with polygonal spire to NW corner and single transept to SW.
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Figure 6-2: West Kilbride Conservation area – ‘B’ listed Overtoun Church by Hippolyte J Blanc
The Barony Parish Church and Graveyard now the Barony Centre was C(S) listed by Historic Scotland in February 1980. Rebuilt 1873 the church has an early English character and the slate roof has bands of diamond shaped slates in horizontal bands.The churchyard contains 17th and 18th century headstones. Having been disused since deconsecration the building was regenerated as a community arts centre and cafe known as the Barony Centre which reopened to the public in 2011. There are two modern interventions – a first floor pod like triangular shaped conference room that occupies the air space over the nave, and a wedged shaped flat roof cafe extension that projects into the churchyard at the west of the church.
The 3 storey and attic 19th century coaching inn with late 19th century extension to rear at the 73 Main Street and 1 Hunterston Road was C(S) listed by Historic Scotland in December 2006. The inn has a distinctive rounded corner with upswept eaves cornice. The building has a smooth painted render finish with shallow raised margins. The Piended attic dormers have cast iron finials and decorative balconettes – these are late Victorian in appearance.
Unlisted Buildings of Merit
6.3 These buildings make a positive contribution to the character and appearance of the conservation area. In West Kilbride there are several buildings that assist in helping define the special character of the conservation area. These include the Village Hall, the cluster of weavers cottages at the corner of Happy Hills and Main Street and the late Victorian Semi detached villas at the west end of Ritchie Street. These buildings enrich the conservation area and add to its special character. They are described as follows
West Kilbride Institute or Village Hall of 1905 is by the Ecole des Beuxs Arts trained architect AN Paterson. The building is modest in scale but the combination of delicately carved features - such as door case and the architrave and the Venetian window to the main hall - combined with the simple treatment of the volume and massing of the building is clearly demonstrative of the Glasgow style. This makes it unique within the Conservation area.
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Figure 6-3: West Kilbride Conservation area – West Kilbride Institute by A N Paterson
The cluster of small weavers cottages at 121 – 125 Main Street and the corner of Happy Hills overlooking the Horseshoe form a notable node within the conservation area and are located at a visually strategic point. These cottages assist the sense of enclosure at the key intersection of Main Street, Ritchie Street and Happy Hills. Having been in a derelict condition the cottages have recently been conserved and reoccupied as part of the Craft Town initiative.
There is a notable grouping of late Victorian semi detached villas on Ritchie Street to the west of Overtoun Church These have mix of blonde and red smooth faced ashlar with ballochmyle stone used for trims, door cases and quoins. They have high quality details including delicately carved fretwork to the bargeboards and remnants of good decorative cast iron railings. They belong to phase when the village was rapidly enlarging as a result of the arrival of the railway and epitomise late Victorian ideals of middle class domesticity.
Scheduled Monuments
6.4 There are no scheduled monuments within the boundary of the conservation area
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Archaeology
6.5 The name Kilbride is supposedly derived from an association with St Bridget, an Irish saint who is said to have established a church in the area in about AD 500. No remains of this church, or any dating to this period, are known in the vicinity. The prefix ‘West’ was added in the nineteenth century in order to distinguish this town from East Kilbride in Lanarkshire. The Reverend Thomas Findlay writes that the Barony of Kilbride was conferred on the ancestors of the Earls of Kilmarnock by Robert the Bruce, meaning that the name Kilbride, if not the settlement itself, was an established name in the area in the 13th or 14th century. Known Medieval remains in the vicinity of West Kilbride comprise the tower houses of Law Castle to the east of the town, Portencross Castle to the west and Crosbie Castle to the north.
6.6 Although it is most likely that some form of settlement was established in the vicinity of these three baronies or estates, available cartographic evidence dates only from 1654, and indicates that there has been a settlement at West Kilbride since at least the middle of the 17th century. A settlement named as ‘Kilbryid’ is noted on Pont’s 1654 map of Cunningham, although no further details of the town are shown. About a century later, Roy’s map shows three clusters of buildings – two with enclosures – named as ‘Killbride under the hill’. A larger settlement, named as Overtown, lies immediately west of Killbride, with the road north to Fairly and south to Sea-mill running through Overtown village. Overtown may have been re-named as Kilbride, since by 1775 the former name has disappeared and the road mentioned above now runs through Kilbride; the location of the road does not appear to have altered. The name of Overtown is retained by the 1883 Overton Parish church.
6.7 Armstrong’s 1775 map shows a growing settlement, with the main east-west focus being on what are now Main Street and Laws Brae, while the north-south foci are Hunterston Road and Gateside Street/ Castle View/southern end of Drummilling Road. By Thomas’s 1832 map, West Kilbride has spread to the west with buildings shown on Bowfield Road and Yerton Brae. Two large un-named houses lie to the east of Kilbride Burn. The footprint of one of these may be retained as a rectangular area of disturbance that lies within the modern recreation area and is visible on satellite imagery.
6.8 The growth of West Kilbride may be attributed to easier communications brought about by the construction of the road between Greenock and Portpartick in the later 18th century, and the resultant expansion in local crafts and industries. Oughterson reports that many of the women of the parish were employed as weavers, and that the growth of flax was widespread in the parish, while about 150 men from a parish population of 885, worked as fishermen. In 1848, two oat-grinding mills, a flax-mill, a tanner’s bark-grinding mill and a mill for pulverising charcoal were all located on the Kilbride Burn. The village’s communication links were further enhanced in 1878 with the opening of the railway station by the Glasgow and South Western Railway.
6.9 The population growth in West Kilbride is reflected in the number of religious and municipal buildings established during the nineteenth century. The Barony Parish Church on Main Street was rebuilt in 1873 and, although the date of the original church is unknown, some gravestones in the churchyard date to the 17th century, thus tying in with the cartographic evidence for the existence of a settlement in 1654. The town jougs or pillory which were once attached to the west gable of the Barony Parish Church are now located in its vestibule. Overton Church in Ritchie Street was built to replace an earlier church on a different location, which may have been the pre-Reformation church at Chapelton referred to by Fullarton, although the exact location of this is not known.i Fullerton notes that the town has one parochial school, two private schools, a library and three Friendly societies.
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6.10 The locations of the few Listed buildings in the town and those of sites recorded in the National Monuments Record for Scotland reinforce the suggestion that the core of West Kilbride is Main Street and Hunterston Road at the junction known as The Cross. The earliest known surviving building in the town is Kirktonhall House on Main Street, where a datestone has the initials R.S. and M.W. and the date 1660. Other phases of the house date to 1791 and 1807, while a decorative sundial that once adorned the garden is dated 1717. The former coaching inn at the junction of Main Street and Hunterston Road probably dates from the early 19th century and indicates that West Kilbride was probably a staging post on the Greenock to Portpartick road. The street lay-out at the town centre has not altered to any significant degree since the early 19th century and the main north- south and east-west axial roads have been in existence since at least the mid-eighteenth century.
6.11 West Kilbride’s former association with crafts, seen in the range of weaver’s cottages on the south side of Ritchie Street, continues into the modern age, with the town being the first designated Craft Town in Scotland and winning the Department of Trade and Industry’s ‘Enterprising Britain 2006’ competition. The Barony Parish Church has been extended and renovated, and now functions as a craft centre.
Assessment of Areas
6.12 With the exception of the west end of Ritchie Street where the late Victorian semi detached and detached villas are set back from the street and sit within more spacious individual plots and gardens the townscape of Main Street, Ritchie Street and Halfway Street is defined by contiguous buildings that sit at the back of the pavement. These are interspersed with various gaps sites created by the demolition and removal of former buildings. These sites vary in quality and character and while two have been attractively landscaped in general the gaps sites make a negative contribution to the character of the conservation area. The most notably negative sites are those at 57 and 120 Main Street both of which are derelict. The other area of concern is the junction Main Street and Glen Road where there is a gap in the built fabric caused by the 1924 demolition of the former Episcopalian chapel. While this has had the benefit of visually connecting Main Street to the Glen public park it has lead to a loss in continuity of the spatial enclosure and an opening out of the townscape that is alien to the ethos of a traditional Scottish high street with its strong sense of enclosure.
Assessment of Significance
6.13 West Kilbride enjoys an interesting natural setting that has been instrumental in determining how the village developed and evolved over the centuries. This is due to the village’s topography. It is overlooked by Cauldron Hill to the north and sits between Law Hill and Tarbert Hill with the Firth of Clyde located to the west of the village. As a result West Kilbride is unusual for a village that has developed in the traditional Scottish fishbone pattern in that its Main Street straddles two hills rather developing along the spine of a hill. This creates a street that simultaneously benefits from both picturesque views to the landscape beyond as well as to key landmarks within the village and a strong sense of enclosure. Main Street has a rich variety of architecture containing an example of 17th century townhouse, numerous examples of 18th century weavers cottages, several fine example of late Victorian villas dating from the arrival of the railway, and three interesting late Victorian churches. Though there have been inappropriate 20th century developments such as the small estate of 1970s houses at Manse Road and unsympathetic replacement of traditional features such as traditionally detailed shopfronts and sash and case windows, it is considered that West Kilbride’s conservation area is of high regional significance.
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7.0 KEY FEATURES AND CHALLENGES
Key Features
7.1 Following an assessment of the buildings, areas and significance it is now possible to identify the key features which define the special architectural and historic character of the Conservation area. These features will be considered when evaluating and determining planning applications affecting the setting of the conservation area.
Street Pattern – The enclosure of Main Street, Halfway Street and the eastern half of Ritchie Street with a contiguous building line that acts a spine to the village, is the central characteristic of the Conservation area.
Plot Pattern – the narrow plots of the contiguous weavers cottages contrast with the more spacious plots of the later Victorian semi detached and detached villas as well as the three churches which are set back from the building line.
Building Line – the buildings lining Main Street, Halfway Street and the eastern half of Ritchie Street have a strong presence rising from the back of the pavement. The only buildings that departure from this are the three churches, which are all set back from the building line within their own grounds and the Co-operative supermarket at 12 Ritchie Street which is set back 2m from the surrounding weavers cottages.
Building Height – the building height along Main Street, Ritchie Street and Halfway Street varies. Typically the weavers’ cottages along Halfway Street and the eastern half of Ritchie Street are single storey but many of the Victorian buildings are two storeys with late Victorian buildings being two storeys and attic and the tenements and coaching inn at the Cross being three storeys and attic.
Vernacular Architecture – the traditional weavers cottages are found in a cluster at Halfway Street, the eastern half of Ritchie Street and there are two further cottages with dormers at ‘Brig-end’ towards the east end of Main Street. The early 19th century coaching inn at 73 Main Street and 1 Hunterston Road has strong vernacular roots but with later Victorian dormer additions.
Victorian Developments – the three churches are Victorian intervention that in the case of the Barony replaced an earlier structure. They are designed as key visual landmarks within the village centre that are view to be seen in picturesque manner along the Main Street corridor. The larger scale of the later tenements in the central section of Main Street adjacent to the Cross is also the result of Victorian intervention. Finally the semi detached and detached villas at the western end of Ritchie Street introduce a Victorian sense of middle class domesticity.
Traditional Materials – materials including local blonde sandstone and imported Ballochmyle sandstone, harl, limewash, timber sash and case windows, traditional tongue and grooved and later panelled front doors, decorative bargeboards, cast iron railings, gates, balconettes and finials contribute to the character, longevity and sustainability of the Conservation area.
Roofline – the towers, pinnacles and finials of the churches along with the roof ridges and chimney stacks of the buildings add to the character of the Conservation area’s townscape.
Architectural Details – original details such as cast iron railings, stained glass, stonework, sash and case windows, decorative bargeboards, and shopfronts contribute to the special character of the Conservation area.
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Key Challenges
Loss of Architectural Detail – Original architectural details form the key defining characteristic to the appearance and value of the Conservation area. Their retention and repair is the key criterion in the area’s preservation and enhancement. Insensitive shopfront alterations including inappropriately sited roller shutters, replacement doors and windows, removal of cast iron decorative railings and gates have to some degree eroded the special character of the conservation area.
Use of Inappropriate materials – Whilst some of the historic fabric is in good condition where modern materials have been introduced for purposes of repair this has led to a loss of the special character of the conservation area. Examples include replacement of timber sash and case windows with UPVC windows of differing proportion, inappropriate render repairs utilising cement based products and insensitive roof repairs using incorrectly sourced slate or other roofing products.
Gap sites – by eroding the strong sense of spatial enclosure that characterises Main Street the gap sites while some have been attractively landscaped in general they have a negative impact and present a threat to the integrity of the Conservation area.
Public realm – the impact of traffic management schemes including road markings, traffic signage as well as road and pavement maintenance has a significant effect of the special character or the conservation area.
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8.0 OPPORTUNITIES FOR PRESERVATION AND ENHANCEMENT
Maintenance
8.1 One of the greatest threats to the buildings of the West Kilbride Conservation area is limited maintenance and care leading to decay and loss of fabric. The most effective means of preserving the character and appearance of the conservation area is by encouraging regular programmes of repair and maintenance of the buildings. Various elements in traditional buildings – windows, doors, guttering, chimneys, pointing of masonry, and roofs need regular attention so as to extend their serviceable life. The greatest cause of building decay is failure of the roofs and exterior walls. Regular maintenance is a cost effective way of doing this as it can help reduce longer term repair costs and extend the life of the building fabric.
Development
8.2 Minor works such as the replacement of traditional timer sash and case windows and their replacement by UPVC windows with differing proportions and opening mechanisms, and the removal of other small scale detail such as decorative cast iron railings or the inclusion of inappropriate shopfront details such as a different awning style can have a cumulative impact on the visual integrity of the Conservation area.
8.3 North Ayrshire Council is committed to the preservation and enhancement of the Conservation area’s special characteristics through the application of Local Development Plan policies HE1: Conservation Areas and HE2 Listed Buildings. The policies encourage pre-application discussions and note that proposals for development which would adversely affect the visual amenity or historical/architectural character of a conservation area, including its setting, buildings, open space or trees, shall not accord with the Local Development Plan.
Information and Advice
8.4 Building owners, residents, and local businesses are key stakeholders in ensuring the preservation and enhancement of the Conservation area. Information and guidance for owners can explain the implications of living in a Conservation area and provide advice and pointers on the best and most economic way for them to maintain their properties. The guidance can help explain in an accessible and non-technical manner the principal causes of decay, how they can be prevented, and where repairs are necessary how they should be carried out. The information can also provide details of any available grant assistance. The Inform Guides prepared by Historic Scotland are also useful sources of information. The can be downloaded from www.historic-scotland.gov.uk. A list of useful names, addresses and contact details is supplied at the end of this document.
Public realm
8.5 There is a need to improve the standard of, and better co-ordinate, street surfaces, street furniture and signage throughout the Conservation area. The location of signage – both road markings and signage mounted on poles – can often be highly visually intrusive and overly dominant in the Conservation area. A good example of street clutter - and waste - is the junction of Main Street and Gateside Street where there is a prominent cluster of traffic signs three of which indicate ‘No entry’. It maybe that an intelligent design lead approach to the West Kilbride Conservation area streetscape based on Scottish Government policy ‘Designing Streets’ is preferable to a standards based methodology.
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8.6 It is essential that all parties involved in street design ensure that streets contribute as positively to the environment of the Conservation area as is possible and respect and enhance local character and contribute to placemaking. Street markings should also be kept to a minimum so as not to undermine the existing character of the Conservation area. The opportunity should be taken in cases where the carriageway is being resurfaced or where lines have worn off completely to introduce narrower lines and markings that are less likely to distract from the character of the Conservation area.
Shopfronts and Signage
8.7 Shopfronts play a major role in the character of our historic streets; they help to attract more customers to individual shops and enhance our town centres, creating attractive places to live and work. Many original shopfronts in West Kilbride have, however, been replaced by unsympathetic modern facades which are detrimental to both the building and Main Street and Ritchie Street as a whole. The work of the Craft Town initiative has shown that simple improvements to the signage, security (including positioning and incorporation of roller shutters) and awnings can have a significant impact on the visual integrity of the Conservation area’s townscape.
8.8 North Ayrshire Council has Town Centre Design Guidance (approved as non statutory Supplementary Guidance June 2010) provides guidance on scale, massing, materials etc. and should be consulted at an early stage in drawing up any proposals for development within town centres.
Gap Sites
8.9 Development guidance including briefs for the gap sites could be drawn up so that developers have a clearer idea of what size and scale of development as well as appropriate materials can be sensitively and sensibly accommodated within the Conservation area and so can budget accordingly.
Permitted Development Rights and Article 4 Directions
8.10 More stringent planning controls can be established within a conservation area through Article 4 Directions. These directions can remove certain permitted development rights within the boundary to ensure that key characteristics and features of the area are protected. Under Article 4 of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (Scotland) Order 1992, the planning authority can seek approval of the Scottish Ministers for Directions that restrict permitted development rights. The Directions effectively control the proliferation of relatively minor alterations to buildings and the public realm in Conservation Areas that can cumulatively lead to erosion of character and appearance. Development is not precluded, but such alterations will require planning permission and special attention will be paid to the potential effect of proposals.
8.11 In the case of the West Kilbride Conservation Area Article 4 Directions supply protection for window/door replacements and boundary walls/fences/gates but it has not been considered necessary to remove the permitted development rights for extensions at the rear or small rear garden buildings in the conservation area.
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9.0 FUTURE MANAGEMENT PRIORITIES
9.1 Conservation areas are living places where change must be managed accordingly if their special characteristics are not be eroded. A Conservation Area Management Plan will be prepared to accompany this appraisal. The management plan will be prepared in consultation with the community and will be designed to ensure that change is managed and that the special qualities, character and appearance of the Conservation area are safeguarded and enhanced.
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10.0 MONITORING AND REVIEW
10.1 There are a number of indicators that can be used to assess the condition and health of the West Kilbride Conservation Area. These include:
A check on the number of buildings either included on the Scottish Civic Trust’s Buildings at Risk Register or in a state of dereliction. An assessment of the number of shop units in use and the condition of their shopfronts. Review of numbers and types of planning applications, listed building consents and Conservation Area consents. Condition comparison against the survey photographs undertaken between October 2005 and February 2006 and the photographic resurvey in November 2012.
A brief review of the above indicators should be undertaken on an annual basis, with a further in-depth review every 5 years.
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CONSERVATION AREA APPRAISAL
APPENDIX 1 – LOCATION/SITE PLAN
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WEST KILBRIDE
CONSERVATION AREA APPRAISAL
APPENDIX 2 – 2006 APPRAISAL
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CONSERVATION AREA ASSESSMENT for WEST KILBRIDE
ARP Lorimer and Associates
Key Subject Commentary Observations/images Introduction, The Conservation Area appraisal for West Kilbride was carried out between October 2005 Purpose and and February 2006. Justification The North Ayrshire Council Local Plan identified West Kilbride as a potential Conservation area. This appraisal was therefore carried out to assess whether the Town Centre of West Kilbride merited this Conservation Area designation.
Location, History The principal development of the built fabric of West Kilbride Main Street was as a rural and Development weaving village with a Mill at Kilbride Burn. The weavers cottages lined the lined the town streets particularly Ritchie Street and Halfway. This pattern can be seen in the 1856 map of the town.
The earliest surviving building however in the locale is Law Castle a defensive residence of 1468, which commands the hillside over the crossing to the burn. The other major early building is Kirtonhall, of 1660, which sits in the centre of the town, was part of a 156-acre estate including the Glen to the south. These major residences are part of the history of the town but not a key feature on the townscape
The introduction of the railway in 1878 encouraged the growth of the town as a Victorian dormitory town accessible from Glasgow with 19th C development carrying down the hill to Seamill.
This pattern of residential development has continued through until today with modern suburban housing developments enveloping the town.
The Topography of the town centre is quite unique. The land rises from the shore up West Kilbride 1856 towards West Kilbride. On entering Ritchie Street the land plateaus and then dips into two small rolling valleys. The Main Street itself is laid out along this rolling landform allowing long views through the town
West Kilbride 1910 Character and Appearance
Setting West Kilbride sits inland from the main coast road running north –south through North Ayrshire. Almost hidden from this coast road the town sits quietly in its valley backed by Law Hill to the East. The Main Street runs to the west from Kilbride burn and down to the sea. The location in the valley allows long views over the town from the hills and through the centre of the main street
Street Pattern and The street pattern has remained relatively unchanged with radial routes travelling out from Topography the main street towards Fairlie, Dalry and Ardrossan.These routes generally follow the line of the valleys avoiding Law Hill in particular
Activity and The main direction of travel within the town is east-west with Ritchie Street and Main Street Movement providing the main through route for vehicle traffic. At the East end of the Main Street a one- way system has been introduced around Kilbride Bridge and Meadowfoot road at the railway station.
The more suburban streets of the residential areas lie across the hill slopes to the west with some development along the east side of the Glen
Buildings and The character of the town is formed from a typical Scottish rural streetscape modified by the Townscape unusual topography. The buildings of Ritchie Street and Main Street form well defined frontages with few breaks in the general pattern. Essentially this is a relatively undisturbed 18th and 19th century townscape.
Surprisingly there are few listed buildings in this central area. The key buildings are the two churches of St. Andrew and the Barony Church both grade B listed and Kirktonhall. These buildings give a degree of variety and hierarchy to the town avoiding a monolithic streetscene The church spires in particular frame views up and down the Main Street.
The general run of facades creates the enclosure to the street punctuated by the more special buildings. The buildings around the Cross have some sense of a focal point on the Main Street with the curved corner buildings on the northeast gently creating a stepped building line. The more modern houses on the southeast are a disappointing counter to this.
The central core of the town is mainly formed of buildings with painted facades interspersed with some later dressed stone elevations.
To the east at Kilbride Bridge the drop to the burn and its mature trees provides a measure of landscape and foliage to the town centre with the cottages on Meadowfoot creating a gateway either side of the road.
Moving west from the Main Street Ritchie Street has a range of the early weavers cottages lining its south side. These are a significant reminder of the development of the town and its buildings.
At the west end of Ritchie Street the character of the street changes to a more Victorian character with houses set slightly back from the street. The range of houses on the south side adjoining the Overton church is fine examples of Victorian residential buildings. The materials of these buildings also shifts from the painted facades of the earlier building to dressed sandstone a mark of the shift in affluence of the town in the later half of the 19th century
The termination of Ritchie street again has a sense of a gateway with buildings either side of the street marking a shift from the suburban forms to a more street frontage based architecture
Along the street some minor gaps erode the general streetscape at 113 – 115 Main Street, Spaces 124 Main Street and around the library. The loss of the buildings at these points risks the sense of enclosure to the street. Some landscape works have been carried out to avoid a derelict quality taking over however these areas could benefit from more robust treatment
To the south of the town centre the Glen provides a green finger protruding into the Trees and buildings of the town. A remnant of the original estate around Kirktonhall this provides a Landscaping pleasant break in the townscape and with recreational use of the park.
The extension of the park and its mature trees up to the rear of Kirktonhall ensures the landscape connection to the hall is retained in some degree. This area of planting and trees also provides the setting for the grade A listed sundial at the rear of Kirktonhall.
In a similar way the glen extends up to Kilbride bridge again providing some relief to the hard landscape of the streetscene.
Building by A Building-by-Building photographic study has been carried out along the length of the town Building Analysis centre. This has been recorded in digital format and provides a visual record of the condition of all the properties as of October 2005
Buildings at Risk Key buildings in the town are at some risk. In particular two buildings have been identified Key buildings potentially at risk Survey as potentially being in this category.
The small cottages at 121-125 Main Street, the “Horseshoe” are in very poor condition. These are however exactly the type of cottage which are part of the history and streetscape of the town. In particular these lie at the visually strategic point where Ritchie street dips down into Main Street and the space opens up around the new library.
At no. 73 Main Street another key building is in a state of disrepair. The condition of this is not as serious as no 121 however any further deterioration would be a significant problem. The location of this building at the Cross is highly significant and with its immediate neighbour helps create the character of this corner of the town.
Public Realm Audit One of the positive characteristics of the West Kilbride town centre is the limited impact of the street furniture and traffic management equipment.
There is little in the way of intrusive installations. The street lighting is modest and unassuming and there are no traffic signs, lights etc. of any great significance.
The one area where this is not the case is where Kilbride Bridge branches off from the Main Street. The highly visible no entry signs highlight the conflict between traffic safety and visual amenity.
Continued control over the design and location of any street furniture will allow the streets to retain their uncluttered quality
Unobtrusive street furniture is the general condition with some exceptions
Assessment of In many ways West Kilbride is a typical Scottish rural town with its townscape created from Significance predominately pre- 20th century buildings.
The rolling landform however gives the town certain unique qualities opening up views across and through the town centre. The terraced frontages are combined with the listed buildings, particularly the church spires to give an almost picturesque quality.
The unique nature of the combination of buildings land and spaces create a special environment with a real sense of place. Opportunities for The main erosion of quality in the town centre arises from poor quality changes to the Planning Action building fabric- roofs, windows, shop fronts and boundaries.
The creation of a conservation area should be combined with an article 4 direction requiring approval of these aspects of the street frontages. This would be aimed at ensuring alterations maintained the traditional characteristics of the buildings- sash windows, slate roofs etc.
Opportunities for There are a number of gap sites in the town centre, which undermine the sense of Enhancement enclosure. The area around the Horseshoe in particular is in danger of deteriorating. The landscape enhancements carried out in the gap sites help alleviates the problem in a superficial manner however the blank gables to the adjoining buildings continue to create the impression of eroded forms.
The other main area of similar characteristics is the car park to the east end of the Main Street. The removal of the previous buildings has left the blank gable of the adjoining tenement exposed. Short term improvements in the form of landscaping, decoration of a mural would give some superficial benefits
The ongoing strategy of bringing disused shop fronts into use as artists’ studios or display spaces is very successful in maintaining the retail qualities of the streets. Any proposals for the conversion of shop fronts to residential use would undermine longer term improvements in the town
The combined impact of dealing with gap sites and enhancement to the building fronts will ensure the quality of the town is gradually improved Areas for improvement
Conservation The aim of any strategy in the conservation area should be to encourage improvements to Strategy all aspects of the street frontages- shop fronts, windows, roofs building decoration.
The enhancement of the building facades could lead to a significant improvement in the quality of the town centre Monitoring and Detailed consideration of all applications for development in the town should take note of Review the qualities highlighted in the study to ensure these are maintained and where possible enhanced. A mechanism for review of these should be considered
23
PORTENCROSS ROAD
8
15 WELLBANK GARDENS 11 14 13
Garage 18
14 62.3m 1
47.9m
17 21
DRUMMILLING ROAD
Presbytery 1 9 48.0m LB Corse Terrace
12b 8 BM 51.09m
3
27 10 1
1
St Bride's 4 CORSE Burnside TCB B.12a Town Centre Buildings 4
13 23 RC Church Proposed addition over The buildings on Main Street, while Place West Kilbride having some common characteristics, HAPPYHILLS 6 12 Kilbride6 Burn Station contain enough variety to ensure a 3
STREET 6 unique architectural qualityBM 47.08m to the townscape. 1 Appletree 4
8 23 19 56.1m El St Andrew'sChurch LB B 781 53.7m
65.9m BM 66.30m A. Town Centre Core Sub Sta 46.5m B 781 3 1 2
The Main Street is 48.9m 22 Kilbride Bridge 45
predominately107a formed of well 47 49.6m
11 51 49 3
6 53
3 6 preserved 19th century 1
59 57 55 2 46 Car
buildings providing the setting 2 1
8 MP 35 61 44 Park B 782
for the the Listed Buildings in 2
9 PH 65 51.2m
B 7047 6 the town.
4 Community 73 71 PH The character is enhanced by MAIN STREET Barony House 4 Centre 75 the unusual topography of theSurgery THE 79 77 13 main street as is rises and dips. 93 83 81 CROSS
9 LB
11 47.0m 2
74 76 74
5031 48
7 3
HAPPYHILLS 78
2 48a 97 80
1 B. Town centre buildings
3a 3 84 5 MANSE ROAD The combination of sloping topography 82 Bk 6
45 37 31
43 with the single storey cottage type has 1 3 39 33 101to105 TCB96
35 1 Hall created a small special corner. 94 64.6m 29 27 107 10 109 14b
23 D. Kilbride Bridge 36 111 46.9m E. A Gateway to the Town Centre
25 3a 30 8
HALFWAY STREET21 19 1 14 The bridge Gasover Kilbride Burn with its The gables of two 19th century houses 17
13 117 deep valleyGov and tall trees provides a form corners to the main Street creating 112a
3b 35
5
123 114 2 Proposed Town centre landscape feature to the main a Gateway to the town. PC HORSE through route. 14a
conservation area18 5
130 GLEN ROAD 2
20 33 SHOE
7
Lby 128 5
2
126
Kirktonhall 9
54.4m6 BARONY GLEBE Burn 55.2m 8
4
15 13 10 2
13
1 4
5
ARTHUR CT 10a 31
18 17 1
ARTHUR 1A
12
Hall 16 14 7 BM 55.06m
29 19 Tel
4
16 TCB
G A Gateway from the STREET 23 21 18 Ex Kilbride
14 3
12 25
27 20 West 25 5 HEADRIGG GARDENS PO
The bay windows of the 10 29 27 20a
12 23 Hall
6 22 Victorian houses at the 2
1 MEADOWFOOT
21 Liby 17 to 27 west end of Ritchie19 31
44 63.2m 28 26
Street form a gateway17 Proposed addition of 1 5 to 15 3
to the town centre 1 32 34 32 FB
LB RITCHIE STREET Ritchie Street 30
13 33 GLEN 35 SIDE
37 1to20
3 2 CRESCENT 56.3m 4 1 STREET
ROAD
21 39to43 36 2 47 1 49 2 WELL Pol
9 Sta 2 40
TCB Path Mast
2a 5 Playground
5
46 7 44
Coldstream
55 48 1 7
57 59 9 ALTON
61 7
63 Overton 14 GLENSIDE GROVE
ORCHARD STREET 2 Church 12
65 11 15 8 STREET 12
67 52 Suggested extension to 69 Kirktonhall 8 WEST KILBRIDE 71 conservation area 8a 59.4m 19 HEADRIGG
73 27 to 17 CONSERVATION AREA APPRAISAL 2
F. Ritchie Street - southside C. Kirktonhall SUMMARY MAP 13
BM 59.79m 7 41b
The single storey cottages on the south Kirtonhall is the oldest of the town centres’ listed 14 62 41a
side of Ritchie Street are some of the buildings having been originally built in the 17th century. 41
ROAD 14 Glen original weaving cottages in the town. The extension of the proposed conservation area to Grade A listed building 10 The preservation and enhancement of cover the garden area to the south ensures Kirtonhall what remains of their original fabric will retains its landscaped connection down into the Glen- a Posts add greatly to this area of townscape. remnant of the original estate. Grade B listed building G A Gateway from the West
The fine Victorian semi-detached
houses and Overton Church on Proposed grade C the south side of Ritchie Street listed building provide a high quality elevation at the entry to the town.
WEST KILBRIDE
CONSERVATION AREA APPRAISAL
APPENDIX 3 – HISTORIC MAPS
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WEST KILBRIDE
CONSERVATION AREA APPRAISAL
APPENDIX 4 – CONSERVATION AREA APPRAISAL ANALYSIS
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WEST KILBRIDE
CONSERVATION AREA APPRAISAL
APPENDIX 5 – LISTED BUILDING REPORTS
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Listed Building Report Page 1 of 1
HISTORIC SCOTLAND WEST KILBRIDE PARISH NORTH AYRSHIRE COUNCIL STATUTORY LIST Information Supplementary to the Statutory List (This information has no legal significance)
HB Number 14308 Item Number: 3 - KIRKTONHALL (OFFICES OF AYR Group with Items: COUNTY COUNCIL) Map sheet: Category: B Group Category: Date of Listing 14-APR-1971
Description: Tall 3 storey house backing onto main street; harled; grey painted stone dressings; battlemented parapet has date 1807; another datestone near street level has initials R.S. and M.W. 1660 - Principal facade towards garden to rear; centre projecting 2 storey porch has Gothic Palladian window on 1st floor and lower stage supported on corner columns; lintel has inscription "Rebuilt by Frank Ritchie 1791"; long 3 window facade, ridge roof with large Victorian dormers, plain gables; lower addition to left has bay window. Dr. Robert Simpson, translator of Euclid, was a native of West Kilbride, his family having lived at Kirktonhall for some generations.
References: N.S.A. vol. v page 255
Notes:
© Crown copyright, Historic Scotland. All rights reserved. Mapping information derived from Ordnance Survey digital mapping products under Licence No. 100017509 2012 . Data extracted from Scottish Ministers' Statutory List on 01 November 2012 . Listing applies equally to the whole building or structure at the address set out in bold at the top of the list entry. This includes both the exterior and the interior, whether or not they are mentioned in the 'Information Supplementary to the Statutory List'. Listed building consent is required for all internal and external works affecting the character of the building. The local planning authority is responsible for determining where listed building consent will be required and can also advise on issues of extent or "curtilage" of the listing, which may cover items remote from the main subject of the listing such as boundary walls, gates, gatepiers, ancillary buildings etc. or interior fixtures. All enquiries relating to proposed works to a listed building or its setting should be addressed to the local planning authority in the first instance. All other enquiries should be addressed to: Listing & Designed Landscapes Team, Historic Scotland, Room G.51, Longmore House, Salisbury Place, EDINBURGH, EH9 1SH. Tel: +44 (0)131 668 8701 / 8705. Fax: +44 (0)131 668 8765. e-mail: [email protected]. Web: www.historic- scotland.gov.uk.
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HISTORIC SCOTLAND WEST KILBRIDE PARISH NORTH AYRSHIRE COUNCIL STATUTORY LIST Information Supplementary to the Statutory List (This information has no legal significance)
HB Number 14309 Item Number: 4 - SUNDIAL, Group with Items: KIRKTONHALL Map sheet: Category: A Group Category: Date of Listing 14-APR-1971
Description: Obelisk type, dated 1717. Said to have been designed by Dr. Robert Simpson
References:
Notes:
© Crown copyright, Historic Scotland. All rights reserved. Mapping information derived from Ordnance Survey digital mapping products under Licence No. 100017509 2012 . Data extracted from Scottish Ministers' Statutory List on 01 November 2012 . Listing applies equally to the whole building or structure at the address set out in bold at the top of the list entry. This includes both the exterior and the interior, whether or not they are mentioned in the 'Information Supplementary to the Statutory List'. Listed building consent is required for all internal and external works affecting the character of the building. The local planning authority is responsible for determining where listed building consent will be required and can also advise on issues of extent or "curtilage" of the listing, which may cover items remote from the main subject of the listing such as boundary walls, gates, gatepiers, ancillary buildings etc. or interior fixtures. All enquiries relating to proposed works to a listed building or its setting should be addressed to the local planning authority in the first instance. All other enquiries should be addressed to: Listing & Designed Landscapes Team, Historic Scotland, Room G.51, Longmore House, Salisbury Place, EDINBURGH, EH9 1SH. Tel: +44 (0)131 668 8701 / 8705. Fax: +44 (0)131 668 8765. e-mail: [email protected]. Web: www.historic- scotland.gov.uk.
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HISTORIC SCOTLAND WEST KILBRIDE PARISH NORTH AYRSHIRE COUNCIL STATUTORY LIST Information Supplementary to the Statutory List (This information has no legal significance)
HB Number 50774 Item Number: 25 - 73 MAIN STREET Group with Items: AND 1 HUNTERSTON Map sheet: Category: C(S) ROAD Group Category: Date of Listing 11-DEC-2006
Description: Probably earlier 19th century with later 19th century extension to rear, set on sloping site. 3-storey and attic 3-bay former inn on prominent corner site with principle (S) elevation to Main Street and W elevation to Hunterston Road. Distinctive rounded corner with upswept eaves cornice. Smooth painted render with shallow raised margins. Piended attic dormers with cast iron finials and decorative balconettes. Some arched openings to ground floor. Stone stair at N elevation leads to opening on 1st floor. Predominantly plate glass timber sash and case windows (Currently boarded, 2006). Broad gable stacks and raised skews. Grey slates. Cast iron rainwater goods.
INTERIOR: Original room plan extant in earlier building with some simple cornicing. Extension to rear extensively modernised.
References: 1st Edition Ordnance Survey Map (1854-9). Ordnance Survey Name Book, RH4/23/59 RCAHMS, c1854.
Notes: 73 Main Street makes a distinctive contribution to the streetscape in West Kilbride. On a prominent corner site, in the centre of the village, it formed a crucial part of the town. The unusual proportions of the widely spaced bays to the street elevations are further distinguished by the distinctive rounded corner with its quaint upswept cornice. It was a coaching inn and is described as the 'main public house in the village of West Kilbride' in the Ordnance Survey Name book. The extension to the rear is cited on the 1st Edition Ordnance Map as Wellington Hall and this was used for discussing local business or for holding public lectures. The hall was situated on the upper floor as the ground floor was used for stabling. As yet, there is no evidence for a date of construction, but it is probable that its origins may be around the turn of the 19th century. Currently disused, the building has most recently been converted
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HISTORIC SCOTLAND WEST KILBRIDE PARISH NORTH AYRSHIRE COUNCIL STATUTORY LIST Information Supplementary to the Statutory List (This information has no legal significance) into a ground floor bar with flats above (2006).
© Crown copyright, Historic Scotland. All rights reserved. Mapping information derived from Ordnance Survey digital mapping products under Licence No. 100017509 2012 . Data extracted from Scottish Ministers' Statutory List on 01 November 2012 . Listing applies equally to the whole building or structure at the address set out in bold at the top of the list entry. This includes both the exterior and the interior, whether or not they are mentioned in the 'Information Supplementary to the Statutory List'. Listed building consent is required for all internal and external works affecting the character of the building. The local planning authority is responsible for determining where listed building consent will be required and can also advise on issues of extent or "curtilage" of the listing, which may cover items remote from the main subject of the listing such as boundary walls, gates, gatepiers, ancillary buildings etc. or interior fixtures. All enquiries relating to proposed works to a listed building or its setting should be addressed to the local planning authority in the first instance. All other enquiries should be addressed to: Listing & Designed Landscapes Team, Historic Scotland, Room G.51, Longmore House, Salisbury Place, EDINBURGH, EH9 1SH. Tel: +44 (0)131 668 8701 / 8705. Fax: +44 (0)131 668 8765. e-mail: [email protected]. Web: www.historic- scotland.gov.uk.
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HISTORIC SCOTLAND WEST KILBRIDE PARISH NORTH AYRSHIRE COUNCIL STATUTORY LIST Information Supplementary to the Statutory List (This information has no legal significance)
HB Number 14306 Item Number: 1 - WEST KILBRIDE Group with Items: BARONY PARISH CHURCH AND Map sheet: Category: C(S) GRAVEYARD Group Category: Date of Listing 26-FEB-1980
Description: Rebuilt 1873. Early English in character; cream coloured stugged masonry; slate roof has bands of diamond shaped slates running horizontally; windows with sharp pointed Gothic tracery; squat tower, belfry with louvres, clock and spire. Churchyard contains 17th and 18th century headstones.
References: Groome's Gazetteer vol. iv page 358
Notes: Ecclesiastical building in use as such
© Crown copyright, Historic Scotland. All rights reserved. Mapping information derived from Ordnance Survey digital mapping products under Licence No. 100017509 2012 . Data extracted from Scottish Ministers' Statutory List on 01 November 2012 . Listing applies equally to the whole building or structure at the address set out in bold at the top of the list entry. This includes both the exterior and the interior, whether or not they are mentioned in the 'Information Supplementary to the Statutory List'. Listed building consent is required for all internal and external works affecting the character of the building. The local planning authority is responsible for determining where listed building consent will be required and can also advise on issues of extent or "curtilage" of the listing, which may cover items remote from the main subject of the listing such as boundary walls, gates, gatepiers, ancillary buildings etc. or interior fixtures. All enquiries relating to proposed works to a listed building or its setting should be addressed to the local planning authority in the first instance. All other enquiries should be addressed to: Listing & Designed Landscapes Team, Historic Scotland, Room G.51, Longmore House, Salisbury Place, EDINBURGH, EH9 1SH. Tel: +44 (0)131 668 8701 / 8705. Fax: +44 (0)131 668 8765. e-mail: [email protected]. Web: www.historic- scotland.gov.uk.
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HISTORIC SCOTLAND WEST KILBRIDE PARISH NORTH AYRSHIRE COUNCIL STATUTORY LIST Information Supplementary to the Statutory List (This information has no legal significance)
HB Number 51402 Item Number: 26 - RITCHIE STREET, Group with Items: OVERTON CHURCH (CHURCH OF Map sheet: Category: B SCOTLAND), Group Category: INCLUDING BOUNDARY WALL, Date of Listing 25-NOV-2009 GATEPIERS AND GATES Description: Hippolyte J Blanc, 1883. Gabled, 6-bay, buttressed Gothic church with prominent square-plan tower with polygonal spire to NW corner and single transept to SW. Squared and snecked rock-faced red sandstone with smooth margins. Deep base course, moulded string courses. Some hoodmoulding. Mixture of pointed-arch and rectangular windows. 2-light windows with circular openings above to side elevations. 3-light window to transept gable. Later (1912) gabled church hall adjoins to rear.
FURTHER DESCRIPTION: NW (STREET) ELEVATION: asymmetrical. Gabled elevation with advanced gabled porch to left with recessed, moulded, pointed-arched entrance with 2-leaf boarded timber entrance doors with decorative iron hinges. Central rose window with Celtic cross to apex. To right; 4-stage, angle- buttressed tower with tall, polygonal, lucarned, finialled spire. Square-plan, miniature angle towers with pyramidal stone roofs and blind openings to 3rd stage. Dentilled top stage belfry with deep-set, round-arched openings with continuous hoodmoulding.
BOUNDARY WALL, GATEPIERS AND GATES: wall to NW, SE and SW. Squared and snecked rock-faced sandstone, coped walls; stepped to street. Pair of gatepiers with Gothic capstones to NW with decorative metal gates.
Predominantly fixed leaded pane or stained glass windows. Graded green slates. Red ridge tiles.
INTERIOR: (seen 2009). Fine, cohesive interior with curved timber boarded roof with rafters springing from stone corbels. Timber pews and en-suite communion table, pulpit and font. Timber gallery to NW with half-glazed screen beneath with coloured and leaded glass. Some fine commemorative stained glass windows depicting mainly Biblical and local scenes.
References:
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HISTORIC SCOTLAND WEST KILBRIDE PARISH NORTH AYRSHIRE COUNCIL STATUTORY LIST Information Supplementary to the Statutory List (This information has no legal significance)
2nd Edition Ordnance Survey Map, 1897. Dictionary of Scottish Architects at www.scottisharchitects.org.uk (accessed 29-06-09). Rob Close, Ayrshire and Arran, An Illustrated Architectural Guide, 1992 p79. Rev W Burnside, The History of Overton Church, booklet from West Kilbride Museum.
Notes: Place of Worship in use as such. This is a well-detailed and distinctive church designed by a major Scottish architect. Overton Church is an important and distinctive part of the streetscape in this part of West Kilbride. It is a good example of Blanc's skill as a designed of Gothic churches. The careful composition and high quality detailing, particularly to the tower and street elevation are of note. The interior remains substantially intact and has some fine features including a timber boarded ceiling and a number of good quality stained glass windows.
The church, which originally had a United Presbyterian congregation was built in 1883 as a replacement for an older building on a separate site which was in need of repair. It was built to the West of the main centre of West Kilbride, in open countryside, but the population expanded and houses were built around the church. The congregation increased after the First World War and the current chancel, which was originally the church hall, was incorporated into the main church space. An adjoining church hall was built to the rear of the church in 1912. The oak panelling in the chancel was added in 1933. The United Presbyterian Church united with the Church of Scotland in 1929.
Hippolyte Jean Blanc (1844-1917) was a major Scottish architect. His output was prolific, but he is best known for his Gothic style church buildings which include Christ Church, Morningside Edinburgh (1875) and Coats Memorial Church Paisley (1885). ( See separate listings)
© Crown copyright, Historic Scotland. All rights reserved. Mapping information derived from Ordnance Survey digital mapping products under Licence No. 100017509 2012 . Data extracted from Scottish Ministers' Statutory List on 01 November 2012 . Listing applies equally to the whole building or structure at the address set out in bold at the top of the list entry. This includes both the exterior and the interior, whether or not they are mentioned in the 'Information Supplementary to the Statutory List'. Listed building consent is required for all internal and external works affecting the character of the building. The local planning authority is responsible for determining where listed building consent will be required and can also advise on issues of extent or "curtilage" of the listing, which may cover items remote from the main subject of the listing such as boundary walls, gates, gatepiers, ancillary buildings etc. or interior fixtures. All enquiries relating to proposed
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HISTORIC SCOTLAND WEST KILBRIDE PARISH NORTH AYRSHIRE COUNCIL STATUTORY LIST Information Supplementary to the Statutory List (This information has no legal significance) works to a listed building or its setting should be addressed to the local planning authority in the first instance. All other enquiries should be addressed to: Listing & Designed Landscapes Team, Historic Scotland, Room G.51, Longmore House, Salisbury Place, EDINBURGH, EH9 1SH. Tel: +44 (0)131 668 8701 / 8705. Fax: +44 (0)131 668 8765. e-mail: [email protected]. Web: www.historic- scotland.gov.uk.
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HISTORIC SCOTLAND WEST KILBRIDE PARISH NORTH AYRSHIRE COUNCIL STATUTORY LIST Information Supplementary to the Statutory List (This information has no legal significance)
HB Number 14307 Item Number: 2 - ST ANDREWS Group with Items: (FORMERLY ST BRIDE'S) CHURCH Map sheet: Category: B OF SCOTLAND. Group Category: Date of Listing 26-FEB-1980
Description: Built 1881, originally Free Church. French Gothic in style; pink bullnose masonry; large rose window, tall square tower, open belfry, broach spire.
References: Groome's Gazetteer vol. iv page 358
Notes: Ecclesiastical building in use as such
© Crown copyright, Historic Scotland. All rights reserved. Mapping information derived from Ordnance Survey digital mapping products under Licence No. 100017509 2012 . Data extracted from Scottish Ministers' Statutory List on 01 November 2012 . Listing applies equally to the whole building or structure at the address set out in bold at the top of the list entry. This includes both the exterior and the interior, whether or not they are mentioned in the 'Information Supplementary to the Statutory List'. Listed building consent is required for all internal and external works affecting the character of the building. The local planning authority is responsible for determining where listed building consent will be required and can also advise on issues of extent or "curtilage" of the listing, which may cover items remote from the main subject of the listing such as boundary walls, gates, gatepiers, ancillary buildings etc. or interior fixtures. All enquiries relating to proposed works to a listed building or its setting should be addressed to the local planning authority in the first instance. All other enquiries should be addressed to: Listing & Designed Landscapes Team, Historic Scotland, Room G.51, Longmore House, Salisbury Place, EDINBURGH, EH9 1SH. Tel: +44 (0)131 668 8701 / 8705. Fax: +44 (0)131 668 8765. e-mail: [email protected]. Web: www.historic- scotland.gov.uk.
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HISTORIC SCOTLAND WEST KILBRIDE PARISH NORTH AYRSHIRE COUNCIL STATUTORY LIST Information Supplementary to the Statutory List (This information has no legal significance)
HB Number 14312 Item Number: 22 - WEST KILBRIDE Group with Items: STATION Map sheet: Category: B Group Category: Date of Listing 17-FEB-1989
Description: Probably James Miller, circa 1900. Long, Arts and Crafts style, single storey range of 6 irregular bays. Mannered rubble plinth, harled brick above, platform elevation vertically boarded with projecting shelter screens and canopy. Asymmetrical entrance front; projecting open gabled porch at S with battered rubble plinth, timber-framed above with semi- scrolled double brackets, fronts semi-circular entrance. Single and 3-light windows, latter break wallhead with timber-framed gables. Red tiled roof, small gablet ventilator, battered stacks with wide curved copes. Short retaining wall with tapering, domed gatepiers links station building to simple ancillary building similarly detailed at S end of platform.
References: Hume, THE INDUSTRIAL ARCHAEOLOGY OF SCOTLAND 1976, vol 1, p58.
Notes: Line opened 1878 by Glasgow and South Western Railway. Ascribed to James Miller on stylistic grounds.
© Crown copyright, Historic Scotland. All rights reserved. Mapping information derived from Ordnance Survey digital mapping products under Licence No. 100017509 2012 . Data extracted from Scottish Ministers' Statutory List on 01 November 2012 . Listing applies equally to the whole building or structure at the address set out in bold at the top of the list entry. This includes both the exterior and the interior, whether or not they are mentioned in the 'Information Supplementary to the Statutory List'. Listed building consent is required for all internal and external works affecting the character of the building. The local planning authority is responsible for determining where listed building consent will be required and can also advise on issues of extent or "curtilage" of the listing, which may cover items remote from the main subject of the listing such as boundary walls, gates, gatepiers, ancillary buildings etc. or interior fixtures. All enquiries relating to proposed works to a listed building or its setting should be addressed to the local planning authority in the first instance. All other enquiries should be addressed to: Listing & Designed Landscapes Team, Historic Scotland, Room G.51, Longmore House, Salisbury Place, EDINBURGH, EH9 1SH. Tel: +44 (0)131 668 8701 / 8705. Fax: +44 (0)131 668 8765. e-mail: [email protected]. Web: www.historic-
http://hsewsf.sedsh.gov.uk/hslive/portal.hsstart?P_HBNUM=14312 01/11/2012 Listed Building Report Page 2 of 2
HISTORIC SCOTLAND WEST KILBRIDE PARISH NORTH AYRSHIRE COUNCIL STATUTORY LIST Information Supplementary to the Statutory List (This information has no legal significance) scotland.gov.uk.
http://hsewsf.sedsh.gov.uk/hslive/portal.hsstart?P_HBNUM=14312 01/11/2012
WEST KILBRIDE
CONSERVATION AREA APPRAISAL
APPENDIX 6 – PHOTOGRAPHIC SURVEY
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WEST KILBRIDE
CONSERVATION AREA APPRAISAL
SURVEY OF MAIN STREET
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WEST KILBRIDE
CONSERVATION AREA APPRAISAL
SURVEY OF THE HORSESHOE
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WEST KILBRIDE
CONSERVATION AREA APPRAISAL
SURVEY OF RITCHIE STREET
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WEST KILBRIDE
CONSERVATION AREA APPRAISAL
APPENDIX 7 – BIBLIOGRAPHY
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CONSERVATION AREA APPRAISAL
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WEST KILBRIDE
CONSERVATION AREA APPRAISAL
BIBLIOGRAPHY, USEFUL INFORMATION AND CONTACTS
General References
ARP Lorimer and Associates Conservation Area Assessment for West Kilbride (2006) Royal Commission on the Ancient & Historical Monuments of Scotland [RCAHMS] - National Monuments Record of Scotland (photographic archive and library), 16 Bernard Terrace, Edinburgh. Old West Kilbride, Molly Blyth, Stenlake Publishing Limited, ISBN 9781872074993 West Kilbride Annals of an Ayrshire Parish, The Rev. John Lamb, The Grian Press, ISBN 0954799682 West Kilbride Seamill Portencross and thereabouts, prepared and published by West Kilbride Amenity Society, ISBN 095168311X The Buildings of Scotland Ayrshire and Arran, Rob Close and Anne Riches, Yale University Press New Haven & London, ISBN 9780300141702
Legislation and Statutory Instruments
Planning (Listed Buildings & Conservation Areas)(Scotland) Act 1997.(As amended by the Historic Environment (Amendment) Scotland Act 2011) The Historic Buildings and Ancient Monuments Act 1953; (As amended by the Historic Environment (Amendment) Scotland Act 2011) The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979; (As amended by the Historic Environment (Amendment) Scotland Act 2011) Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (Scotland) Order 1992, (and subsequent amendments).
Policy Context
North Ayrshire Council Modified Local Development Plan Part 2 Detailed Plan Policies September 2012 Scottish Planning Policy (SPP) February 2010 Scottish Historic Environment Policy (SHEP) July 2009. Planning Advice Note 71: Conservation Area Management Designing Places – A Policy Statement for Scotland (2001). Designing Street – A Policy Statement for Scotland (2010).
Conservation
Historic Scotland‟s INFORM Guides are available from Historic Scotland’s website. These are short leaflets which gives owners of traditional buildings information on repair and maintenance - www.historic-scotland.gov.uk
Contacts
Development Management North Ayrshire Council Cunninghame House Irvine KA12 8EE Tel: 01294-324319 http://www.north- ayrshire.gov.uk/BusinessAndTrade/PlanningAndBuildingStandards/Planning- ApplicationsWarrantsAndCertificates/Planning-DevelopmentManagement.aspx
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